A Post from Mike
First: I've turned in the paper work for the Nuclear Engineering program--it got the most votes. I don't know when I'll find out if that will work. I assume if I don't hear anything for a while, then it's okay, and if it's not, they'll let me know pretty soon. I'll do mechanical engineering if this doesn't work.
Second: For all you meanies, I'll have you know I spent quite a while the past couple days looking for cell phone plans that would work. I finally found something that I was willing to do--we'd cancel our basic cable tv ($12.10/month) and get a tv tuner card for the computer (so we could receive digital over-the-air signals), cancel our home line (about $28/month) and get a family plan for 69.99 (which, of course will be between 15%-35% more when you add all the taxes and surcharges), Adrianne will cancel her gym membership (about $35/month) because she never goes there anyway--she always jogs around the neighborhood or uses our elliptical trainer, and we would take any remaining difference half and half from our personal budgets. Then, when I was about to complete the transaction, it asked me to chose which phone numbers I wanted. I selected oklahoma city, and it told me: no numbers for that city, choose another city. All the other cities are long distance from here...so, I wouldn't be able to call Adrianne from work because I can't have a cell phone there and I can't make personal long distance phone calls. Also--how many minutes would we use? I have no idea how much we use our phone--any thoughts?
Final: I bought a high-chair today. Maybe for #4 we'll get a changing table/crib bumpers/mobile/etc. Lucky for my budget that #4 isn't coming for a couple years.
Second: For all you meanies, I'll have you know I spent quite a while the past couple days looking for cell phone plans that would work. I finally found something that I was willing to do--we'd cancel our basic cable tv ($12.10/month) and get a tv tuner card for the computer (so we could receive digital over-the-air signals), cancel our home line (about $28/month) and get a family plan for 69.99 (which, of course will be between 15%-35% more when you add all the taxes and surcharges), Adrianne will cancel her gym membership (about $35/month) because she never goes there anyway--she always jogs around the neighborhood or uses our elliptical trainer, and we would take any remaining difference half and half from our personal budgets. Then, when I was about to complete the transaction, it asked me to chose which phone numbers I wanted. I selected oklahoma city, and it told me: no numbers for that city, choose another city. All the other cities are long distance from here...so, I wouldn't be able to call Adrianne from work because I can't have a cell phone there and I can't make personal long distance phone calls. Also--how many minutes would we use? I have no idea how much we use our phone--any thoughts?
Final: I bought a high-chair today. Maybe for #4 we'll get a changing table/crib bumpers/mobile/etc. Lucky for my budget that #4 isn't coming for a couple years.
Comments
On the cell phone front, consider going actually TO the store. We are really loving our hot spot at home which allows us to have unlimited calling at home. Our phone bill runs us $80 a month for three cell phones (my MIL shares our plan). Also, T-mobile gives a government/military discount. I only know that because they're our carrier and we have it.
Good luck!
We are on kid #4 and have never had a high chair, although we do have 2 booster seats.
Congrats on the high chair. I hope it works well for you. I love mine!
As far as cell phones, we have Verizon, which I know you don't have there. We have unlimited long distance, so I used that for years to call anyone and everyone. We have three phones that share 2100 minutes. We actually have gone over before, but not very often and not very much. (Michelle has the third phone for now. We can cancel it soon and then we will only have the two.) Anyway we pay $130 a month total.
Jess, you are right. Mike is ambitious in his saving goals. I think it is good for obvious reasons but I also think it is good for us because we really have to evaluate the things that are most important for us to buy right now. Mike asked someone I know that has lots of money if they felt wealthy and they said no because they always felt like they couldn't buy something. I don't think that is the definition of wealth. I'm sure there will always be something more to want no matter how much money you make. So, I hope that no matter how much money we make or save we still evaluate what we need the most and are careful with our money. We are not always careful with our money. But we try.
I think you are right in razzing us about getting a cell phone. We really do need to get one!
We don't have a family cell phone, and we always forget that Josh has a work cell phone. You never need it until there is a situation like Adrianne had at the airport. We also do VoIP for our home phone service, and love how much $$ we save :) Your little boys will never miss that they didn't use a highchair. I'm impressed that you've avoided using one! Best of luck, from both Josh and I with your graduate program!
I like high chairs for little kids, but they soon grow out of them.
Changing tables seem to me to be a waste. But then I am old fashioned.
Dad Clark